Reports, proud muckraking, photos, videos and musings from the veteran LGBT and AIDS human rights advocate Michael Petrelis. Based in San Francisco since 1995.
Contact: MPetrelis_at_AOL_dot_com.
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Wednesday, April 08, 2015

Pit Stop Toilet Coming to BART's 16th Street Plaza

Before leaving the house recently to catch a BART train to Berkeley to catch a movie at the Pacific Film Archive, I emptied my bladder. Due to a new drug in my cocktail that occasionally requires more than usual peeing, I need to relieve myself when I got to the 16th Street and Mission BART station. Since there are no public toilets at the station and the kiosk restroom was out of order, I had to wait until arriving in the East Bay to pee.

This week, I got in touch with the public information offices of BART and the San Francisco Department of Public Works to request porta-potties at this plaza. Needless to say, when both agencies informed me that the Pit Stop program was in the works.

In January, I blogged about the need for a Pit Stop in the Castro. Pit Stops are not only places to pee and poop but also provide wash-up materials, are locations for dropping off used syringes and dog waste, and provide trash and recycling containers. We need more of them around San Francisco.

Here's the good news today from Alicia Trost of BART:

"[My colleague] asked that I provide you with details regarding Pit Stop
bathrooms
near 16th BART.
The City (Public Works) is leading it with a funding match
from BART.

"The
Pit Stop will be located on City property near the BART station
and will
not be on the BART plaza.

"Here are the details I have:
Pit
Stop
· BART and City partnering on pilot for staffed portable
restroom
facility.